Current asset declaration system is flawed – Domelevo urges constitutional change

Former Auditor-General Daniel Yaw Domelevo is calling for change in Ghana's asset declaration process.

He spoke at the Constitution Review Committee’s meeting on anti-corruption in Accra on April 14, 2025. Domelevo suggested a constitutional amendment to relieve the Auditor-General’s office of managing these declarations.

“When I took office, I wondered: what if a court opens a sealed declaration and finds newspaper clippings inside? How would I prove I didn’t insert them?” he asked. This highlights serious flaws in the current system.

Domelevo emphasized that declarations need visibility. Someone must see what is declared for it to be meaningful. He criticized the current paper-based system, saying it does little to prevent corruption.

“Declaring to someone means they must see what is declared. Paper filings alone won’t stop corruption,” he stressed.

He also pointed out that expecting the Auditor-General to oversee asset declarations distracts from their main duties. “Any Auditor-General will focus on auditing public accounts, as that is their core mandate,” he added.